Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has finally spoken on two major setbacks that prevented the commissioning of Osisioma Flyover on May 29th, 2021 as earlier scheduled.
According to the Governor, the need to align the project with the ongoing reconstruction of the Osisioma-Asa Nentu segment of Enugu-Port Harcourt Federal Highway made it difficult for the contractor to complete the extended work on top and around the bridge.
In a statement obtained by ABN TV from the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, the governor stated that the second reason for which the bridge was not delivered was because of the involvement of the lead supervisor of the project in a fatal arm robbery attack around Mission Hill Umuahia Abia state that led to the death of his driver and security aide.
According to the state government, trauma of the incident led the contractor to flee the state to Abuja.
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The statement partly read, “The contractors couldn’t conclude the work on top and around the bridge because of the necessity to align the project with the ongoing reconstruction of the Osisioma-Asa Nentu segment of Enugu-Port Harcourt Federal Highway which is not within the control of the state government and its contractors.
“An “act of God” (force majeure) involving the expatriate supervisor of the project who was involved in a fatal robbery incident in Umuahia that led to the killing of his driver and mobile police security attachee along Mission Hill. The traumatized Chinese whose colleague in another southeast state was also involved in a violent incident around the same period fled the state to Abuja.”
While revealing that the state government has fully paid for the project, the Commissioner added that efforts are ongoing to deliver the job as the state government has engaged the federal controller of works in the state to sort out construction delays around the flyover.
“It is instructive to note that the state government has fully paid for the flyover project and is working with the federal controller of works in the state to sort out construction delays around the flyover.
“The supervisor for the flyover project is also back on site and currently executing finishing works that are not connected to the associated federal project.
“The state government appreciates the challenges road users face around the area and is doing everything possible to ensure that the contractors deliver as soon as possible.
“It is also important to note that even if our contractors conclude the earth work on top of the bridge at this moment the bridge will still not be usable without the contiguous federal project being completed.
“We therefore urge our people to be a little more patient and remain confident that the Ikpeazu administration will continue to do the needful to deliver better life to them” it concluded.
